Thicker Than Water
by sister-b
Summary: VtM:B-Short 3-parter-M for language-Natalie's just moved to Santa Monica and is intrigued by her new neighbor, Mercurio. Prequel to His Ghoul Friday.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, dammit, almost there..." Yes, I was giving myself a little pep talk, trying to wrestle yet another heavy box of books into my new apartment. I knew I should have donated them to charity or at least sold them to a used bookstore, but I couldn't bear to part with them when I moved. I had barely gotten the box through the door when it slipped out of my hands. "Ha ha! You're still _in_ the apartment!" I said triumphantly, shoving the mess of books and cardboard a little further in. Back out to the car for another box, the last one. My brother had helped me to my car with this one. Right before he tried to talk me out of moving cross-country one last time, I remembered almost bitterly. I couldn't believe how hard my family had tried to make me stay in upstate New York. But I wasn't hearing any of it; I wanted California. I'd loved it since my family had visited Santa Monica when I was 15. Ten years later, I finally found my way back, this time to live there.

I stared at the box in my trunk, chewing on my bottom lip. The box was long and awkward to carry; I now remembered why I'd asked my brother for help with it. "Well, here goes," I muttered, grabbing it as well as I could and tugging it out of the car. I let it fall to the ground—my toe seemed to be good cushioning for its landing, but only because I'd forgotten how heavy it was—and slammed the trunk shut while swearing through gritted teeth at the new pain in my foot. With a sigh, I tried my best to wrap my arms around the middle of the box and carry it to the apartment building's door. I had to set it down again--still keeping it off the wet ground with my foot but resting it gently on my tender toe—in order to open the outer door to the building. Finally, that done, I lifted it up again and nearly lost my grip.

"Whoop, careful there!" I heard a male voice saying. "Here, lemme help with that." One end's weight suddenly left, and I blinked at my rescuer. "Lemme guess. You in number one?" he asked with a smile.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, holding up the other end. "Yeah, just moving in."

"Yeah, I wondered when someone would finally pick up the place," he said, walking with me slowly to my apartment. "The other guy that lived here kinda just picked up and left. They had to clean out all his junk before they could rent it out again. Probably some trouble with the law or somethin'."

That made me frown. "Oh...some...unsavory types living here, huh?" As the man reached behind to open the door, I warned him, "Watch for the books right inside the door."

He chuckled. "Thanks. Woulda had me on my ass." I giggled as we guided the box the rest of the way inside and set it down. "And no, not really. I mean, every place is gonna have its...eh, 'special cases'," he said, glancing around, "but this place isn't bad." Looking back to me, he smiled again. "Name's Mercurio. I'm in number four, right across the way."

I returned the smile, shaking his hand. "Natalie Lucas," I introduced myself. "Mercurio...is that Italian?"

He shrugged. "Italian, Spanish, somethin' like that, I dunno." We both laughed at that. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at me with slightly narrowed eyes. "You're a pretty girl, you know?"

Blushing a bright red, I coughed, surprised by his blunt compliment. "Uh, thank...you?"

Mercurio laughed. "Sorry, you just remind me of someone I used to know."

"Oh?" I crossed my arms this time, smirking. "Old girlfriend or something?"

He smiled, but looked down at the floor. "Nah, not exactly." After a moment of awkward silence, he looked up at me with another grin. "Hey, listen, I gotta get goin'. Work's callin'."

"You work nights?" I asked, disappointed to be losing my new companion.

Mercurio shrugged again. "Eh...I kinda work whenever boss man wants me to work, ya know? Kinda on call." I nodded, wondering what he'd do for a living that would force him to hold such strange hours. "But hey, if you need anything at all, just come on over. Anytime. I'm up all hours."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, I appreciate that." He nodded and gave a small two-finger salute in farewell before leaving me alone in my quiet, messy apartment. Looking around, I sighed. Where to start?

* * *

I was grateful that the apartment I was renting had come furnished by the time I called it quits with unpacking. I wanted nothing more than to just sleep. Flopping down on the couch, I put my arm over my eyes and tried to sleep. In the hallway outside, I heard footsteps approaching. They stopped right outside my door. I lifted my head, frowning at the door and waiting for a knock. The knock came, but it wasn't at my door. Must have been someone at Mercurio's. I glanced at my watch. It was 3:30 in the morning. "What in the world?" I muttered. I then heard a door close and figured Mercurio must have let the person in. "Huh..." The thought that he might be a drug dealer crossed my mind, but I quickly pushed that away. He didn't look the type. Yeah, he dressed a little...unique. The magenta patterned shirt, unbuttoned about two or three buttons down from the neck, and blue suit he was wearing when we met threw me off a little; but I'm not about to begrudge him his fashion sense...or lack thereof. Besides, he seemed too on-the-ball to be a junkie or dealer. Too nice.

Lying back against the couch again, I wondered why I felt so at ease with him. I'm not a suspicious person or anything, but I felt like I'd known him forever within a few minutes. It must have been his accent, I figured. He sounded like he was from New York. Maybe some part of me connected his speech with what used to be home, giving me some comfort. Yeah, that had to be it.

My eyes had just started to close when I heard a couple muffled voices outside, then Mercurio's door shutting again. Then, the strangest thing. You know in the movies when someone pulls back the slide on a gun and then lets it go? Yeah, I could have sworn I heard that right outside my door. Frowning, I got up and looked through the peephole. No one. I put my ear to the door. Nothing. Finally, ignoring the fact that my heart was racing, I cracked the door open and peered out, then poked my head out to look down the hall. There was no sign anyone had been there. Closing my door and making sure it was locked, I shook my head, wondering if I'd dreamed it.

* * *

The next afternoon, I had a box in my arms as I was leaving my apartment. I had finally decided that I packed way too much and needed to get rid of some stuff, so I'd take it to some charity drop-off or pawn shop or something. Fortunately, I'd made sure to not overpack this box, allowing for easy carrying to my car. As I was leaving the building, Mercurio was walking up the sidewalk, whistling to himself. "Hey, kiddo, need some help?" he asked, jogging over to me once he spotted me and my box.

I smiled at him and shook my head. "Nah, I'm good." I then paused, realizing my car keys were in my hand...which was supporting the box. He chuckled, raising an eyebrow. He took the keys from me and unlocked the passenger door of my car, opening the door and using a sweeping "after you" gesture. "Thanks," I said, giggling as I placed the box on the seat. As I took my keys back from him, I said, "Know of any place I might be able to get rid of this junk?"

He nodded with a chuckle. "Don't even need to waste the gas, honey," he said, opening my car door and taking the box out. Bumping the door shut with his knee, he nodded his head towards the end of the street. "Trip's Pawnshop's just down the road about a block. Come on, he's a friend of mine. I'll make sure he gives you a good deal." He winked, making me grin as I followed him down the street.

As we walked, I asked, "So where're you from? You don't sound Californian."

Mercurio chuckled. "I've been all over. Spent most of my time in New York, though."

"I knew it!" I said, jumping in front of him and walking backwards so I could look at him. He raised an eyebrow, an amused smile on his face. "I _knew_ you had to be from New York! I'm from Utica!"

His smile softened a bit. "'Magine that," he said. "So what brought you out here?"

I fell into step next to him again. "I fell in love with the place when my family vacationed here about ten years ago." Mercurio's pace slowed, and I looked up at him. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothin'. Mind just wandered for a second. I do that." He gave me another wink, then nodded to the building ahead of us. "Open the door for me, will ya, sweetie?"

I nodded, getting a couple steps ahead to open the door. Once inside, I had to open another door, this one made out of chain link fence. Yeah, this place looked legit... "Hey, Trip!" Mercurio called out. The shop looked empty. A young guy poked his head into the shop from a back room. "There you are, you idiot, we got some shit for ya!" Mercurio hefted the box onto the counter. We were separated from Trip by security glass. There was a small tray that could slide underneath to pass goods back and forth. Mercurio opened the box and started placing things in the tray. "Now, I don't want you rippin' this young lady off, Trip," Mercurio said, giving me a sideways wink. "She's my new neighbor, and she knows to come get me if you give her trouble."

Trip laughed as he was flipping through a couple books I'd had in the box. "No prob, man, no worries. It's all good."

After emptying the box, Mercurio leaned against it, looking at me as Trip looked through my things, mumbling to himself about quality and prices. "Ten years ago, you said?" Mercurio asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, family vacation," I answered. "Me and my brother and our parents." I looked at my hands in front of me, playing with my fingernails like I'd always done as a kid when I got nervous. "My, uh...I found out later that my mom was hoping to see family she'd heard moved out here, but I guess that never happened. I don't even know who she was looking for." I shrugged, letting my hands fall with a loud clap against my hips. "Last I knew, she didn't even _have_ any family."

"Guess she was hoping otherwise," Mercurio said, a strange tone to his voice. I looked at him for a bit, trying to read his expression as he stared at the wall behind me. After a moment, he caught me studying him. "Ah, I can relate to your mother, I guess," he said with a shrug, looking down at the empty box. I thought I saw a flash of sadness before he looked up with a small smile on his face. "Haven't seen any of my own family in years. Don't even know where they all are anymore."

"You don't talk to them?" I asked, suddenly feeling sorry for the man.

He shook his head, looking at the box again. "Nah...can't risk it." I raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed. "I...kinda got myself into some hot water back in NYC. Can't show my face there again unless I gotta death wish, ya know?"

My eyebrows flew up in surprise. "You were involved in the mob?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Not exactly. Just some...unsavory types. Definitely dangerous, but totally separate from the mob." Before I could ask any more questions, he turned to Trip. "So you gonna figure out what you owe the woman, or do I have to come back there and get the money myself?"

Trip chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, hold your horses." As he walked to the back, he looked a little embarrassed; and I realized he hadn't finished his assessment only because he was listening to our conversation.

Mercurio rolled his eyes and jabbed his thumb at the door Trip had closed behind him. "Good kid, but a little..." He pointed at his head. "Empty. Ya know?" I giggled, nodding. Trip had reminded me of a stereotypical "surfer dude" when he first spoke to us. I figured I couldn't have been far off, judging from what Mercurio was saying.

Silence fell over the little pawnshop. I played with my fingers, Mercurio drummed his fingers against the empty box. "Hey...look, I...don't really know anyone yet, and..." I bit my lip, looking up at Mercurio. He looked at me with a curious expression. "...and I think I made you kinda...feel lonely? Talking about your family and stuff...and I'm kinda feelin' the same..." I felt my cheeks beginning to burn. I was rambling. "I just...you wanna come over for dinner? I'm not the best cook, but I can make something up for us." I shrugged, giving him a shy smile. "We can keep each other company. Maybe rent a movie or something."

Mercurio tipped his head to the side, just looking at me for a few moments with a thoughtful look on his face. "You know, that sounds real nice," he said finally, smiling gently. "It's been a long time since I've had a nice dinner with someone."

I grinned happily. "Excellent! After this, I'll go out and--"

"All right, I think I got this figured out," Trip said, interrupting as he came out of the back. He was holding a pen between his teeth and a calculator in his hand.

"God, Trip, it ain't rocket surgery," Mercurio said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm makin' sure she gets what's comin' to her!" Trip said, a small pout coming over his face. "Okay, so for everything, I'm thinkin' three hundred." Mercurio gave him a look, one eyebrow raised. "Three fifty?" Trip bit his lip nervously. Mercurio coughed. "Aw, come on, man!" Trip protested.

"Those weren't exactly new books, Trip," Mercurio said. I had to hide a chuckle behind my hand. He really knew how to haggle with the surfer-boy.

"Yeah, I know! That's why I can't give too much for 'em!"

Mercurio sighed and rolled his eyes. "They were worth _more_ because they're _collector's _books, dumbshit."

Trip coughed, taking his pen out of his mouth and scratching his face with it. Unfortunately, he hadn't capped it and wound up leaving a streak of ink on his cheek. "Aw, man..." He rubbed at it unsuccessfully while I tried to hide another snicker. "Okay, okay, five. All right? Five?" He looked from Mercurio to me then back to Mercurio.

I looked at Mercurio as well. He gave me a little nod and wink. "Deal," I said, grinning. I collected my cash from a reluctant Trip and thanked him before leaving his shop. "Damn, you're good!" I said as soon as we were outside, giving Mercurio an awkward hug.

He chuckled, patting my shoulder. "Been doin' this a long time, kiddo. You ever got anything more to bring down here, feel free to let me know."

I nodded. When we'd reached my car, I turned to him and said, "Okay, I'm gonna go get some groceries for dinner. I'll knock on your door when I get back, okay?"

He nodded, smiling. "Sounds good. If I'm not there for some reason, just leave a note under the door or somethin'. Might get called by the boss." He shrugged.

"Oh yeah, your work," I said, frowning. "This isn't gonna get in the way of anything, is it?"

Mercurio brushed my concerns away with a wave of his hand. "Nah, it's fine. I might have to run across the hall real quick if any of the main man's cronies need somethin' from me, but I'd be right back. Doesn't take long."

Opening my car door, I frowned at him. "What...exactly do you do?"

He looked surprised for a split second, then shrugged. "I kinda do...supply stuff. If one of my boss's guys needs somethin', I got it for him."

"Like what stuff?" I prodded.

"Like stuff they need," he said with a chuckle, walking towards the door. "Get goin' before it gets too late." With that, he went inside, leaving me wondering why he was being so secretive. Looking around, I noticed that the sun was going down. It _was_ getting kinda late. Pushing aside my thoughts about Mercurio, I got in my car and left.


	2. Chapter 2

When I got back from the store, I dropped off my shopping bags and went to knock on Mercurio's door. Upon my hand's contact with his door, it swung open a bit; it hadn't been closed all the way. "...next month at the usual time," I heard an unfamiliar male voice say. As the door opened, I saw the man. Dressed in an expensive looking suit, he was blond and somewhat pale. I wondered how anyone could be pale in Santa Monica, right on the beach; then decided he must not be from around here. Both he and Mercurio turned their heads towards the door as they caught the motion of its opening, and I shifted my eyes between them. The blond man frowned, looking down his nose at me with gray eyes, almost silver.

I blinked a few times upon seeing him, then realized I was gawking. I inwardly gave myself a shake, then jerked my thumb over my shoulder. "Uh, sorry, door was open a little... Um...I'm...back...whenever you're ready to come over," I said, giving Mercurio a quick grin.

He nodded, his expression looking almost pained. "Yeah, yeah, be there in a second." He waved his hand in an unmistakable "get out of here" gesture; and I backed out of the entrance, closing the door behind me.

As I entered my own apartment, I shivered, thinking about the other man. Something about him creeped me out, and yet I felt I _had_ to know who that was. I walked to the kitchen and began unpacking the groceries, pretty much on autopilot while my thoughts circled around who that man could have been. He looked about my age, but that suit suggested a _ton_ of money. A knock at my door startled me out of my thoughts. "Hey," I greeted Mercurio as I opened the door for him. As soon as he was inside, I asked, "Who was that guy?" When the words had left my mouth, I was mortified. I'd planned on being more discreet, not just coming out and asking so bluntly. Apparently, my mouth had different plans.

Mercurio jammed his hands in his pockets, frowning at the floor. "Yeah, sorry about that," he said. "That was my boss. He comes by once in a while. Kinda rare, but..." He shrugged, still looking at the floor.

"That? That was your boss?" I was surprised. "He...looks so _young._"

Mercurio coughed. "Yeah, well...must be part of his bloodline," he said, giving me a weak smile. "Good genes, ya know?"

My brow furrowed with worry. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah, fine. Just..." He coughed again. "Just don't...like...the neighbors meeting the boss. He's...touchy. Need to make a good impression on the company and all, ya know?" Another cough. Nervous tic?

I nodded slowly. Probably time to drop this. "Yeah, I'm sure. Hey, have a seat," I invited, trying to ease his obvious discomfort. "I didn't have time to rent anything, but maybe we can find something on tv to watch." I kept talking as I went into the kitchen. "Sorry I don't have a dining table or tv trays or anything..." Truth was, I _did_ have a table. It was merely covered in boxes still.

"It's no problem," Mercurio said. Instead of sitting in the living room, he'd followed me into the kitchen, leaning against the door way. "So...what's cookin', good lookin'?" he asked, making me chuckle.

"Spaghetti," I answered, filling a pot with water. "Ma's homemade sauce recipe." He smiled, looking impressed. "Hey, if you're gonna be in the kitchen, you gotta help with somethin'. Family rules," I said, smirking.

He hesitated, then chuckled, stepping further into the kitchen. He began washing the tomatoes for the sauce without instruction from me. The next half hour was spent joking and laughing, almost as if he'd never acted so strangely when I saw him and his boss. Dinner passed with more joking and talking, and I found myself growing more and more fond of my new neighbor. So fond, in fact, that after the dishes were cleaned, we sat on the couch watching tv, me cuddled up against his side. He'd seemed surprised at first when I leaned against him, then put his arm around me.

I couldn't concentrate on the show. I kept listening to Mercurio's heartbeat. He seemed at ease, if the slow thump in his chest was any indication. "Hey, Mercurio?" I said, looking up. I only then noticed that he had quite a strong jaw. Funny how one can notice little things like that at random moments...

"Yeah, sweetheart?" He looked down at me with a little smile.

I figured his sweet behavior towards me, his little winks and nicknames he'd already given me, his ease around me must mean that he liked me. So, I did what I thought I was supposed to do when cuddling with a nice guy on a couch. I kissed him.

Imagine my surprise and embarrassment when he jumped and pushed me back. "Whoa...sweetheart...uh..." He cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair.

I edged to the opposite side of the couch. "I'm sorry, I thought--"

"Look, don't worry about it," he said hastily, getting to his feet. "I...I think I should get goin'..." My first instinct was to tell him he didn't have to go. Then I realized the rest of the night would be spent in awkward discomfort for both of us. So instead I nodded, biting my bottom lip and looking at the floor. "Aw...now...look, Nat..." Mercurio sighed as I looked up at him. "Kiddo, I...you're a sweet girl, but..."

"It's okay," I said, giving him the best smile I could manage while wishing I could rip up the floorboards and hide under them. "I...just misread things."

He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, then closed it again. "Listen, if the situation could be any different, it'd be okay, but..." He ran his hand through his hair again, and I could hear him groan under his breath as he looked up at the ceiling. "Look, I'm just...not the guy you wanna get that close to, all right?"

"Because of that trouble in New York?" I asked. "It followed you here?"

He shook his head slightly. "Not exactly. I can't explain it. Believe me, if I could, I would; but I can't." His jaw tightened, and I heard him whisper, "God dammit..."

"Just tell me you're okay," I said. "We'll pretend this didn't happen, but I want to know that you're not in danger."

He looked at me, frowning. "Santa Monica isn't safe," he said after a moment. "Everyone's in danger." He sighed. "I really wish you hadn't come here, honey. You would have been safer with your family back home." Before I could ask what he meant, he left. I heard his footsteps go down the hall instead of across to his apartment.

I leaned back against the couch with a sigh, lightly hitting my fist against my forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid..."

* * *

About three days later, I got an email in response to a resume I'd sent out. It was for a hostess/bartender job at a local club, The Asylum. Upon reading the email, I was ecstatic that the club's owner, Therese Voerman, wanted to meet with me to talk about the position. I couldn't believe my luck. Finding a job so quickly was a rarity these days. I got dressed in some nice clothes and touched up my makeup before leaving the apartment. My eyes glanced at Mercurio's door automatically as they'd done every time I found some reason to step out, probably in hopes of seeing him. As usual, though, his door remained closed. I sighed, knowing I'd really screwed things up with him. Just like me to find a friend, then royally screw myself over.

The club wasn't far from my apartment, so I decided to walk. The night was warm, but a light rain was beginning to fall. It'd been raining on and off since my arrival in Santa Monica. I hadn't known it rained so much here... As soon as I stepped into the club, my ears were assaulted with booming bass. I began to make my way to the bar to ask for Therese when I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Well, look what deliciousness has found its way to my club!" I heard a woman say behind me. Upon turning around, I was met with a grin that felt almost predatory. A woman with blond pigtales, her white blouse open and tied just under her breasts, exposing a red satin bra that matched the satin choker around her throat. She wore a short skirt reminiscent of a "sexy schoolgirl" Halloween costume and fishnet stockings with garters. "You're new here, aren't you?" she purred, leaning close to me and putting her cleavage on display in the process. "What's your name, duckling?"

I coughed. "Uh, Natalie. Natalie Lucas. And you must be Therese?"

The woman jerked back with a scoff and a disgusted look. "Ugh, _no_. _God_ no. Therese is my sister. I'm Jeanette."

I blushed at my faux pas. "I—I'm sorry. When you said it was _your_ club, I assumed... I mean, I got an email from Therese..."

"Oh, you're here about the job!" Jeanette said, clapping her hands together before grabbing both of mine. "Oh, you'll be _perfect_! Sweet looking but a little sexy, naughty hint about you that I would _love_ to explore!" My cheeks burned a little hotter, and I frowned. "Oh, but I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I?" she said, pouting. She clicked her tongue and ran her hand down my cheek. Compared to my burning skin, her hand was ice cold. "Poor lovely. So when can you start?"

Instinctively, I took a step back; but she didn't let go of my hand. "I...uh, Therese said she wanted to talk to me before..."

Jeanette scoffed again. "Oh, Therese, always doing things so 'by the numbers.' It's so _boring_ the way she does things! Miss goody-goody..." When I didn't respond, Jeanette frowned. "You're going to insist on talking to her, aren't you?"

I smiled as politely as I could. "I...just don't want her thinking I blew her off or something. I mean, I appreciate the fact that you're so positive about my working for you; but Therese was the one who sent me the email..."

Jeanette sighed and let go of my hand finally. "_Fine_." She pouted for a moment, then grinned again. "I'll go get her. Don't you go anywhere, kitten." With a giggle and a bounce, she disappeared around the corner.

I sighed, finally glad to be free of her and beginning to have second thoughts. "Getcha anything?"

Startled by the voice, I looked around and found the expectant, watery-eyed look of the bartender, who was cleaning a glass with a rag. "Uh, no, thank you. I'm meeting with Therese about a job."

He nodded, jerking his chin in the direction Jeanette had disappeared. "Elevator's over there. I'll ring you on up."

I nodded slowly. "Thanks..." I wasn't sure I _wanted_ to go up if this was where Jeanette had gone. But up I went anyway. I needed a job, even if this place was only to tide me over until I could find something better. Somewhere where I could work for someone more..._sane_. As soon as the elevator doors opened on the second floor, I heard muffled female voices coming through a wooden door. They were similar, and they definitely didn't sound happy. _Well, no wonder,_ I thought. Therese's email had been very professional. The first impression I'd gotten from her sister was...well...not. I imagined they probably weren't the type to get along well. I wondered how they managed to start a business together if that was the case.

A door slammed from somewhere inside. No more voices. Taking a deep breath and checking my reflection in the mirror hung in the hallway, I knocked at the door. "Yes?" came the response, the female voice sounding on edge.

"Um...my name's Natalie Lucas. I'm here about the job?" I called through the door, feeling like an idiot. _I should have just left when I heard them arguing._

"Oh yes, please come in." I opened the door and found a woman who looked very similar to Jeanette, but she was dressed in a smart, tailored suit with her hair pulled up into a bun. "I hope my sister didn't leave a bad taste in your mouth," she said with a tight smile. "Her..._methods_...are far from orthodox."

I smiled, shaking my head. "No, no, not at all." Okay, so I lied. Like I said, I really needed this job.

The woman smiled, more relaxed this time. "Good to hear. Therese Voerman. I'm the proprietor of this establishment. It's a pleasure." I nodded, shaking her hand. "Please, sit down," she invited, gesturing to a chair in front of a desk. As I sat, she took her place in a chair on the other side of the desk, sitting with a sigh. I fidgeted with my skirt as she pulled out my resume and began the interview.

* * *

After my meeting with Therese, I arrived at my apartment. I was still unsure about the situation, but she'd given me the job. I still figured it was better than nothing for now, even if it meant that I have to deal with Jeanette. As I walked down the hall to my door, I saw Mercurio just coming out of his. "Hey! Haven't seen you around in a while!" I said, wincing at my overly enthusiastic tone.

He looked relaxed with his hands in his pockets as he nodded. "Yeah, been kinda busy lately," he said with a small smile. He looked me up and down and smiled again. "Lookin' all fancy there."

I grinned. "Got me a job," I said proudly.

"Hey hey, that's great!" He gave me a big smile, and I instantly relaxed. Things were okay between us, it seemed. "Where at?"

"That club, The Asylum."

Mercurio made a weird face. "Ah..."

"What?" I asked. "What's wrong with it? Besides the fact that one of the owners is a little..."

"Yeah, Jeanette," he said with a chuckle.

"You know her?"

He sighed, rolling his eyes and nodding. "Yeah. I think everyone in town knows her in one way or another." I snickered, and he smiled. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's okay, I kinda figured as much with the way she was acting when I went in there." I visibly shivered. "Creepy..."

"You don't know the half of it," he muttered. "Hey, I gotta get goin'. I'll see ya around, okay?" I nodded as he pressed past me in the hallway. I watched him as he checked his mailbox. He pulled out something bigger than a letter, but definitely not a box. "What the...oh come on, what the fuck is this? In the mailbox?" I heard him mutter. "LaCroix, you son of a bitch." He held it up in front of his face between two fingers.

_What the...blood pack?_ I thought upon seeing what he was holding. Well, I'd _thought_ that I thought it; but the look on Mercurio's startled face told me I'd said it out loud. With a swift motion, he tucked the blood pack into his coat. He walked back towards me, taking me by the arm and dragging me into his apartment. "What the--"

"You didn't see what that was, you got it?" he demanded, his grip on my arm painful. I couldn't respond due to surprise, confusion, and a touch of fear. "It could get me into some _real_ deep shit, and it could get you _killed_. Probably _both_ of us could get killed if my boss finds out that you saw that!"

"Okay, I didn't see any bl--"

Mercurio clamped his hand over my mouth. "Don't even say it!" He took a deep breath, letting it out shakily as he glanced around his apartment. He looked paranoid. When he spoke again, it was a whisper. "Look, meet me down at the beach tomorrow at seven in the morning. I'll explain everything, but you've gotta promise me right here and now on your grandmother's grave that you won't breathe a word of this to anyone!"

I nodded, my eyes wide. I'd never seen him like this before. "I promise."

"Not anyone!" he stressed. "Not anyone living, not anyone dead, not even your stuffed animals. You hear me? Don't breathe a fuckin' _word_." I nodded again, and he finally let my arm go. I saw his adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. "All right...I've gotta go. Seven o'clock on the beach. Remember." I nodded one last time, and he rushed out the door. I realized I was holding my breath and let it out in a rush of air. I was so confused...


	3. Chapter 3

I was tired at seven AM, but I was at the beach. My light sweatshirt didn't keep out the cold morning wind, and I wrapped my arms around myself to try to stay warm. My eyes were trained on the door way that led from the parking garage down to the beach. It didn't take long for Mercurio to arrive, but he was walking slowly. And limping. And the left side of his face was bruised. "Oh my god, what happened?" I asked, rushing to him.

He sighed, not looking me in the eye. "My own stupidity," he said.

"What?"

He looked at me, then put an arm around my shoulders, wincing in pain slightly. "Ah...dammit...musta got a rib, too." He breathed through his teeth a couple times before looking at me again. "Okay, I've gotta make this quick so we can get you outta town." My heart began to race when I heard those words. This was getting heavy, and I didn't even know what was going on! "You saw the blood, right?" I nodded. "Okay...damn, I'm wishing I saved that now...okay, that...god, where do I start?" Taking his arm away from my shoulders, he eased himself down to the sand, gasping in pain a couple times before finally settling. I kneeled beside him. "Sweetie, what a mess you've gotten us into," he chuckled.

"Me? What did I do?"

He looked at me with a smile. "You showed up here." He raised a hand and touched my cheek gently, brushing my hair over my ear. "You sure grew up pretty. Just like I expected."

I shook my head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Another sigh. He looked out at the ocean for a moment before speaking again, though he still didn't look at me when he did. "I never did tell you my last name, huh..."

I raised an eyebrow. "No...are you sure you're okay?"

"Bianchi."

I blinked. "Bianchi? That's my mom's maiden name."

He chuckled, finally looking at me. "I know."

"You...know my mother?"

Another sigh. "Yeah, I know your mother."

I moved closer to him, the puzzle pieces starting to fall into place. I was still clueless as to why I had to leave town and why he was so beat up, but regarding his name... "You're...the family she was looking for?"

He nodded. "Yeah, more than likely. The only Bianchi in Santa Monica that I know of, and I pretty much know everyone."

I shook my head, trying to think of how he could be related to me. "So...what, are you like a cousin or something?"

Mercurio chuckled, looking out at the ocean again. "Not exactly. I think she was lookin' for her daddy."

Well, that just mixed up the puzzle pieces again. "But you just said that you--"

"Look, I know it's hard to believe, but I'm your grandpa, Nat."

I blinked and sat in silence for a second before chuckling. "Yeah...okay. You're, what, thirty?"

"Double that."

"What." It wasn't a question. It wasn't really a statement. It was just the only sound of disbelief I knew how to make. At the same time, my brain was churning with numbers. _If I'm 25...and ma had me at 17...I guess she coulda been born when he was 18..._

"And that, sweetie, is where the blood comes into it." His voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Wait, this isn't some Elizabeth Bathory 'bathing in blood to stay young' thing, is it?" I was pretty much convinced that he was insane now. That alone was enough for me to want to follow his advice and leave town.

"Well..." I held my breath as he hesitated. "Not..._exactly._ Though I can't believe you brought up Bathory of all things..." He smiled wryly.

"Why?"

"Makes it sound like you know what I'm gonna say next."

I shook my head with a nervous chuckle. "Well, I don't!"

"Nat...the blood was from my boss. Vampire blood."

Silence for a couple beats. "Your boss has vampire blood?"

"Christ. Okay, lemme just quit with the beatin' around the bush and tryin' to let you figure it out for yourself 'cause it obviously ain't workin', and we ain't got a whole lotta time. I work for a vampire. I supply his other vampires with...things they need. In turn, I get money and, once a month, blood. The blood keeps me young and heals me up if I need it. And now, because you _saw_ the blood,_ I'm_ in deep shit for not being more careful! Fuckin' bloodsucker, shoulda just let me come down to the office like always, but Mr 'I'm too busy' up there apparently didn't think things through, and _I_ get to take the heat." He didn't look angry when he turned to me after a few seconds of what I figured was him fuming. Instead, he looked positively terrified. "I'm lucky I got out of that office with nothin' worse than a broken rib and some bruises. I'm just afraid of what they'll do to _you_ tonight if you don't get outta town."

I stared at him in silence. Now was the time for me to decide if I was going to believe him or not. Judging by the look in his eyes, I'd better believe him. "I don't want to leave you here," I said, my voice sounding small.

Mercurio—my grandfather—looked at me sadly and touched my face again. "I know, baby, but you gotta. I mean, you're working for a vampire, my boss knows where you live..." He shrugged, then winced.

"Wait, _I'm--_Therese...?"

"Yeah, her and Jeanette too. There are a couple others in town, too; but I doubt you'd see them. Not real 'people persons'..."

I finally sat down in the sand, trying to process everything I'd been told. "So...if I stay, your boss will have me killed. 'Cause...he knows where I live, and probably where I work."

"And I wouldn't doubt he's got Therese workin' for him, too," Mercurio said. "He's pretty much got all the vamps of LA under his thumb."

"So...okay, I can't stay. But if I _leave_...he won't be able to find me to kill me...and..." Mercurio looked at me curiously. "Won't he kill _you_ then?" I asked. "Because, he's gonna know you told me to leave town. Probably wouldn't take much for him to know that you told me _why_ I should leave town, and I'm getting the impression he doesn't like secrets floating about. If he did _this_ to you for accidentally letting me see the blood..." I reached up to touch his face, then thought better of it. He was already in enough pain without my aggravating his bruises.

He chuckled and looked back to the water. "Hey. If that's what it takes to keep you safe..." He shrugged.

I felt helpless. I wanted to hug him, but I wanted to be mindful of his broken rib. Or ribs, whichever it was. "So...come with me," I said, trying desperately to formulate a plan.

He gave me a sideways glance, then shook his head. "Nah. I've done my runnin'. Besides, they'll just find me. Put a blood hunt out on my head, then I'll have vamps all over the country lookin' for me. Best way to keep you safe is for me to stay put, and you leave."

Tears began to run down my face. "But--"

"Hey, shush now." He gave me a smile. "I'm gettin' to be an old man, remember? If someone finally offs LaCroix like so many out there want to, I'm gonna age within a week without that blood and probably wither away. I've had my fun. I've lived my life, kiddo." I tried to hold it back, but a sob escaped my chest. "Aw, come here," he said, gingerly putting an arm around me and letting me lean against his shoulder. "'s all right, kiddo. Hey, before today, you didn't even know you had a grandpa, huh?"

I shook my head, looking up at him. "Mom always said you were dead."

He chuckled. "Dead to the family, maybe. After that shit in New York--happened right around the time you were born--, I had to make sure no one followed me. Kinda tried to make them think I was dead. Don't know why your mother would have been lookin' for me, though..." His voice trailed off, and we both sat silent while looking out over the ocean. Finally, Mercurio broke the peace. "Okay. Come on, kiddo, we need to get your essentials packed so you get out of here before nightfall. Help me up." I got to my feet and let him use my hand as support as he carefully got up. "Nighttime's when the monsters come out," he said gravely. I nodded, holding his hand as we walked towards the parking garage.

* * *

I did everything I could to delay my departure, much to Mercurio's chagrin. I didn't want to leave him, especially now that I knew he was family. No wonder I'd felt so comfortable around him right from the beginning. As far as kissing him went...yeah, we didn't talk about that. No need to. I didn't know we were related. Honest mistake, that's all. As night began to fall, I was coming back from Trip's with a wad of cash in my pocket. Most of my belongings had to be sold as I had to travel lightly, and I needed money fast.

Mercurio helped me get a few things together, then left, saying he had things to take care of. I wondered if I'd see him again before I had to leave or if this was his way of avoiding saying goodbye. Turns out I _did_ get to see him again. As I glanced around my apartment one last time, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I was taken aback at Mercurio's appearance. The bruising was gone. He was looking like the first time I'd seen him, except for the fact that he had a serious look on his face. "We gotta go," he said, taking me by the arm.

He rushed me out the door and down the steps. Parked in front of the building was a black limousine with tinted windows. Mercurio opened the back door of the car and pushed me in, slamming the door shut behind me. I looked over my shoulder at him as the car pulled away, leaving him behind. "Good evening," I heard a voice say. When I looked at who was sitting across from me, I think all the blood left my face, making me look...well, probably just as pale as the person I was looking at. His gray eyes studied me, one corner of his mouth slightly pulled up in a smile. "I'm afraid our first encounter left us without proper introduction," he said. "My name is Sebastian LaCroix. Your grandfather works for me."

I swallowed hard, unconsciously pushing myself farther back against the seat. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I realized he was waiting for me to introduce myself. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I was terrified. I felt betrayed by my own grandfather. He was essentially feeding me to the lion. "Hmph, not one for manners, are you?" LaCroix said, giving me a smug look.

"I—I—I--"

"Never mind," he interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I'll take the liberty of assuming you would like to know why you are _here_ instead of leaving Santa Monica." Since speaking was apparently not an option for me at the moment, I just closed my mouth and nodded. LaCroix made a noise that almost sounded like a chuckle. "You have your grandfather to thank for that. Mercurio's been one of my most loyal ghouls for over thirty years." LaCroix looked out the side window for a moment before going on. "He reminded me that he has, on more than one occasion, played a major role in my success in both New York and now in Los Angeles. I don't normally consider myself in debt to ghouls. His participation in my business matters is merely what he is paid for, both in cash and blood. However, as he is an asset that I would be loathe to lose, I decided to honor his request and let you remain in Los Angeles as long as you're willing to prove your worth to me." I swallowed hard, nodding. My first thought: _Dear god, I'm going to be a vampire's concubine..._ LaCroix seemed pleased by my lack of resistance. "Good. Mercurio will teach you all you need to know, though I would imagine he's probably given you the short version already." I nodded again. LaCroix tilted his head to the side slightly, narrowing his eyes and studying me. "I _will_ be keeping you closer at hand, so you will no longer be living in Santa Monica. I have no use for yet another ghoul in this small of an area. You'll instead be making residence downtown, near my tower. That way, when I need you to run an errand for me, you won't be far from reach. I've already acquired an apartment for you at the Skyeline Apartment building." Reaching across the car, he handed me a keycard. The number _4_ was printed on it.

"Um, excuse me, sir," I said, my voice barely audible.

"Yes?" The word was breathed out as a sigh of annoyance.

"Well...um, you said that...you didn't need another...ghoul. Here. In Santa Monica." He nodded, looking at me expectantly. I realized after an awkward moment that he was waiting for me to finish my question. "What did you mean by that?"

"I should think it obvious," he sniffed. I could tell this guy was the snobbish, rich sort. Probably grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, mommy and daddy giving him everything he ever asked for, buying him an expensive Mercedes for his 16th birthday or something. "I need to ensure that you will stay loyal to me. Also, that you won't go running your mouth off about us Kindred. Normally, for merely telling you of our existence, Mercurio should have had his head separated from his shoulders." My eyes grew wide with horror. LaCroix merely looked at me with a bored expression. "However, as I've already said, he's too much of an asset for me to lose; so I am bending the laws of our society to allow him—and you—to live, as is my prerogative."

"I just don't understand what you mean by 'ghoul,' I guess," I said. I was grateful that Mercurio and I were going to stay alive. I just didn't like the sound of the term that kept coming up.

Again, LaCroix sighed with annoyance. I was starting to get the impression that he does that a lot. "A ghoul is a mortal who has drunk of vampire blood and is bound to that vampire's service as a result."

My mouth dropped open, but I quickly shut it again for fear of vomiting at the thought. "Whoa...whoa...so...wait..." I remembered what Mercurio had said about the blood keeping him young, the blood being from his boss... "I...don't know if I can drink...blood. I mean, I know Mercurio does, but--"

LaCroix laughed softly. "You will," he stated simply. I didn't like the look in his eyes. "In fact..." His smile grew as he patted the leather seat next to him. "Come here."

I began pushing myself back against my own seat again as I'd been doing when I was first pushed into the car. "Um...I..."

Looking me straight in the eye, LaCroix said slowly, "Come...here..."

For a split second, I knew I wanted to resist. My body, however, did not. I felt lightheaded for a moment; then, as the dizziness went away, I realized I was sitting next to LaCroix. Crap. How did that happen? He took off one of his ruby jeweled cufflinks and folded back his french cuff sleeves, pushing up the sleeve of his suit coat in the process. He handed me the cufflink, closing my fingers over it with his hand. His skin was like ice. He raised his bared arm to his mouth and bit down, his eyes on me the whole time. He then held his forearm out to me as if he was offering it. I suppose he was. After all, he'd bitten a bleeding wound into his arm, and the blood was starting to slowly trickle down his white skin. I stared at the red liquid for a few moments, then felt his other hand grip my chin, turning my face to him. I couldn't take my eyes off his as he said, "Drink." I felt myself nod, then looked back to his arm. My empty hand took hold of his wrist and pulled the wound to my mouth. My mind was screaming at me to stop, but I couldn't. I slowly licked the blood from his skin and softly moaned as I tasted it. It was amazing. I licked the rest from his skin, then set my lips directly to the wound. It was like nothing I'd ever tasted. Sure, it tasted like regular blood, that coppery metallic flavor; but at the same time, it made my whole body warm. I felt like I wanted to do nothing more with my life than sit with this man—man?--and drink from his arm. Every sensation was intensified. As I drank, I could feel how smooth his skin was under my tongue and hand. I could smell the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the scent of leather from the limousine's seats. I could hear a heartbeat faintly, but it wasn't coming from LaCroix or myself. The driver?

Just as I was taking all this in, LaCroix pulled his arm away. "Enough," he stated firmly. He frowned as he brought his arm up to his own mouth. A moment later, he studied it; and I noticed the wound was gone.

As he rolled down his sleeve, I asked, "How...how'd you do that?"

He held his hand out, and I dropped his cufflink into it. He clipped it back on before answering my question. "Not exactly an outstanding feat for a vampire," he said in a mocking tone. I nodded, feeling foolish. I licked my lips, enjoying the way my heart fluttered a little upon tasting a bit of blood left behind. I sighed and relaxed back against the seat, closing my eyes. LaCroix chuckled next to me. "I believe you won't have such a mind to resist next time," he said.

I smiled and shook my head, keeping my eyes closed. _Maybe this won't be so bad,_ I thought. _Mercurio's been doing it for a long time, and he seems happy enough as long as he stays on this guy's good side..._ In the middle of my musings, my thoughts began to shut off. I was warm, full on vampire blood—god, it was weird to realize that--, and strangely happy. I felt myself relax more, beginning to lean to the left against something firm but soft. I heard a voice say, "Uh..." then a throat clearing. "Miss Lucas...Miss Lucas, if you please..." I was too far gone into happy dozing to pay any attention to the voice. Besides, it was a nice voice. Calming. I nuzzled my cheek against whatever I was leaning on and sighed. The voice sighed as well. "Damn it all," it grumbled softly. I was nearly jostled awake as my leaning surface was lifted out from under me. Then I found another surface just further in from it, and I nuzzled against that one instead. Something went around my shoulders. An arm? Finally losing consciousness, I inwardly remarked on what nice cologne I was smelling.

* * *

**A/N: Had to make up a last name for Mercurio. I decided on Italian since he's from New York and has the accent and all. Plus, Mercury being a Roman god kinda helped my decision as well. LaCroix turns out to be a BITCH for me to keep in character, and I'm not all that sure I managed it. Ah well. Comments/criticism appreciated as I'm hoping to start work on a longer, more LaCroix-centric fic soon.**


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